Device for the production of fibers from plants.



G. M. 1-1. POS.

DEVICE FOR THE PRODUCTION or FIBERS FROM PLANTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5, 1912. 1,089,261 Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

8 SHEET8-BHBET l.

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G. M. E. E'OS. DEVICE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FIBERS FROM PLANTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 6, 1912. 1,089,261 Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Wmwm Ehwml'o z G. M. E. Pos.

DEVICE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FIBERS FROM PLANTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5, 1912.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

spinning, from fresh stalks supplying green removal of peel. Itis,however, advisable to GERRITMARIE ELIZE P08, OF

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS.

. DEVICE FOR THE'PB ODTJ'CTION 0F FIBERS FROM PLANTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

. Application filcd.-Aug'ust 5, 1912.- Serial No. 713,451.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GERRIT MARIE ELIZE Pos, a subject of the Queen ofthe N etherlands, residing at Amsterdam, Netherlands, have inventedcertain new and useful. Improvements in Devices for the Production ofFibers from Plants, of which the following is a specification. I

p The present invention relates to apparatus for obtaining fibersdirectly suitable for fibers, such as ramie,-jute hemp and the like, aswell as from leaves.

Generally speaking, the fresh green stalks to be treated according tothis invention are first deprived of their peel. The sap or juice. isthen expressedfrom the latter, which is at the same time washed, for thepurpose of removing vegetable gum, resinous ingredients, etc. After, thedrying, which can be effected for instance by meansof hot air or thelike, the fibers are deprived mechanically, in a special manner, in thefinal operation, from further impurities'such as dust, v reedy portions,etc.

If the-fibrous-material is to be obtained from leaves. and similar partsof plants, the latter, of course, do not require any revious first cutthem into narrow strips in the direction of the fibers. For the rest,the various stages of treatment can be suitably modified according tothe nature of; the material to be treated. An embodiment oftheinvention. is'illus g trated in the. accompanying: drawings in whichV r Figure 1 is alongitudinal seetionthroug' the machine; Fig. 2 is, onthe left ha'nd-half,-- a section on the line I'II, and on the right handhalf, a section on the line III-IV of Fig. 1'; Fig. 3 is a sectionthrough the essenthe stalks are consecutivelyktreated; Fig.

.core, compressed and washed, is deprived of tial part of Fig; I on alarger scalejFig 4: is a plan of a stalk as it is-being gradually split;Figs; 5, Qand 7' are-sections through and TX' X, respectively, Fig.4;"Fig; 8 is a diagrammatic view of thedevices'in which 9 is avcross-section through that part ofthe device in which the bark,=removedfromthe further impurities '-'a'nd Fig. 10 is a longi tudinal section onithe line -=-X][-Xl[I of Fi 1.

The first treatment to which the fresh r ranged above this table. end ofthe table 21 are placed two rollers 23 green stalks are submittedconsists in the peel being stripped off from the core, which.

is effected by means of the apparatus shown 1n Flgs. 1 to 3. The shaft 1is carried by a frame 2, and may be driven in any suitable manner, forinstance by the belt 3, the drum 5 being driven from said shaft by meansof a chain and sprocket connection 4. A belt 6 of the full breadth ofthe drum 5 and placed in an inclined direction drives the drum 7,

so that the belt forms a conveyer or feeder. Two rubber rollers 8 and 9are arranged in such a manner in the frame 2 that while the rollers arearranged one above the other, the upper roller 8 can be pressed upon theroller 9 by means of hand screws 10 which are connected to each other bychain gearing, and which act upon a spring 11 in the known way. Theshafts of these rollers arepreferably provided on both sides with gears12 The shaft and 13 meshing with eachother. of the roller 9is'preferably provided on each, side with-two sprockets 14 connected tothe shaft 1- by means of a chain, so as to rotate in the directionindicated by the arrows in Figs. 1- and 3. The roller 9 may, however,

e driven in any other suitable manner. A knife blade 15 is connected tosliding blocks 16 mounted in guides 17 in the frame, the

blade being disposed either perpendicularly or in a slanting'direction.

v The screws 18 threaded into the sliding blocks 16 protrude throughopenings in the frame and carry 5 --nuts 19-011 their uppen ends,springsv 20 being-arranged around said screws and resting on-the slidingblock 16, so as to tend to keep .-the knifeinthe 'lowestposition thenuts 19 allow. The knife is resilient, and its lowest position can bedetermined by means of the screws-l8 and nfits19. At the opposite sideof themollers 8 and 9, a table 21 is rigidly connected-to the frame anda-cover 22 is ar- Beneath the outer and 24, which correspond in lengthwith the the stalk on the lines VVI, VIIVIII .Wvidth of the frame, acurved plate 25 being'arranged above the roller 24 :andflush 30 are laidupongthe inclinedbelt 6, their tops being directed toward the roller 9,so

that they would, therefore, proceed a if "they were entirely stiff andthe roller 9 The said tops, however,- are flexible andfor this reasonthey bend slightl downward with the belt 6 on the drum 7 ut as soon asthey touch the roller 9 they are conveyed upward again-and are broughtbetween the rollers 8 and 9 where they are completely flattened, as thecore and other parts, except the bark, are weak and juicy at the top ofthe stalks. Now the rollers 8 and 9 are rotated at such a speed that thestalk is drawn along at a greater speed than the belt 6, so that theflexible top of'the stalk which had bent downward on reaching the drum 7is raised as soon as it contacts with roller 9 and pulled forwardbetween the said rollers 9 and 8. This pulling forward of the stalk hasthe effect oflifting it a slight distance above the end of the beltuntil it touches the edge of the spring-pressed blade 15 which causes itto form a slight angle. The skin on the convex side of the stalk; angleis thereby stretched, but .slackenson the concave side. On advancing,the slackened part of the skin is drawn across the knife blade and isthereby scraped or wounded, so that the tension of the peel at the otherside of the stalk straight line from the belt 6 to .causes it to burstopen along the scraped 9 causes of a flat ribbon a The resilient knife15 is passed the rollers.

while the pressure of the rollers 8 and the weak core to burst openalong the same line as theskin. In this manner,

the top ofthe stalkis laid entirely open. the stalks proceed through therollers 8 and 9, the cores become gradually harder and stiffer so thatthey line from the belt 6 tothe rollers 8 and 9. now adjusted to littledownward. The then be suflicient line,

bend the stalks just a tension of the stalks to'cause the knife toscrape and wound the ermost side as they prostalks on their up 'fe. Asthe wounded ceed under this stalks, which'grow thicker towardthe end, 45

proceed between the rollers 8 and 9,*the peel .31'will Burst open alongthe wounded line '(Fig. 4) and will be laid open in the form 32 which isneither split nor torn.- (Figs..4 and 7 The core 33 will also split openover the same line, as shown in section in Fig. 6, and will be graduallylaid. open also, as shown in Fi 4 and 7. vThe two core halves will becrus ed between the rollers 8 and 9 and the stalk will show the sectionillustrated in Fig. 7 ,rafter having From the rollers 8 and 9, thestalks flattened inthe described manner, procee over the table 21. Theflexible tops of the flattened stalks are thereby pushed along, falldownward over the edge 34.01? the table 21, and are grasped. between therollers 23 and 24, which rollers draw them down and bring them betweenthe belt 29 andthe drum 26.

The crushed weak core of the top end of the As rolls 36 and 37, and

37 and 38 and 38 and 39. These rolls, whichare preferably made ofcopper, squeeze out tend to form a straight the fibers,

like,

stalk will also bend core grows harder and stiffer and is loosened fromthe bark by the pressure of the rollers, itwill no longer bend downwardbut will break off and roceed over the curved plate 125,'thus-eft'ect1ngthe stripping of the bark I from the cores.

The bark is clenched between the belt 29 and the drum 26, and istransported by said belt to the roller- 27 and out of the machine,

while the cores proceed over the curved plate 25 and fall directly outof the machine, the cover 22 preventing the ends of the cores from beinglifted when they pass beyond the rollers 8 and 9. By that process; peelis obtained in the shape of undamaged which, however, still contain sap,etc. For the purpose of removing these ingredients from the bands, thelatter are pressed so that all the sap is forced out of them, this beingdone by means of rolls in the following manner: The green bark is passedbetween two metal rolls or rollers 35, 36, (Fig. 8),

downward, butias the forcibly pressed against each other, the roll v 36being'driven by means of 37 which is firmly pressed against it,said roll37 also contacting with'and driving the rolls 38 and 39. In order thatall the rolls a third roll should rotate in the direction indicated bythe arrows, itis necessary to drive only the roll 37.- The bark is thenpressed out first between'the rolls 35 and 36, then between the finallybetween the rolls all the cells of the peel in a thorough manner,.-andthe jets of water 40, 41 and '42 directed between and. against therolls, wash away all the sap expressed, together with the resinousportions of the same. The immediate removal of these resinous portionsis indispensable as if they are given timeto harden or to thicken in theair, their removal becomes difiicult. Any hard-portions of the corewhich still adhere to the peel and removed by the said rolls. peel hasbeen thus passed between the rolls, whichare then practically dry, arefirst completely dried by hot air or the and then submitted to a furthertreatment consisting in the removal of the dust and scale stillcontained in them. This final are split treatment is effected bybrushing the fibers hereinafter described.

by means of the device Ina frame 43 is arranged a drum 44 secured to ashaft45, the cylindrical casing -of which (1131111118 constituted by alarge After thenumber of parallel slats 46 arranged long1- tudinally andspaced a slight distance apart fromp each other. Around this drum aremounted in the said frame 43 a number of cylindrical brushes 47 all ofwhich rotate in" the direction indicated by the arrows, Fig. 9, andthere are also mounted in the frame two rubber rolls 48 and 49 whichpress against each other with moderate force. The shaft of the roll 49is preferably driven by a peripheral flange 50 on the drum 44, eitherdirectly or through the agency of a suitable gear, and as the saidflange 50 is broken at twopoints 51 and 52, the rolls 48 and 49 arestopped during given periodsof time. Overthe drum 44 and the sprockets53, 54, 55, 56 and 57 are led two chains 58 between which are mountedbars 59 arranged at distances apart equal to'half the circumference ofthe drum, these bars being of circular cross-section and being adaptedto periodically engage with the corresponding grooves 60 in thedrumsurface. The said bars are firmly pressed against that portion ofthe drum circumference over which the chains pass, owing to theprovision of rolls 61 on the bars which engage with the inner edges ofthe rings 62 secured to the frame concentrically with the drum. Over therolls 63 and 64 secured to the shafts of the sprockets'55' and 56,passes an endless slatted. belt 65, and between this belt and the drumis arranged a circular brush 66 which is adapted to brush the fibers onthe belt. Adjacent the rolls 48 and 49 is arranged a small flap 67, fora purpose hereinafter described, while finally the feed belt 68 suppliesthe fibers to be treated. The working of this part of the machine is asfollows: The fibers coming from the rolls 38 and 39, Fig. 8, and stillcontaining broken and split portions of the core, etc., are delivered ina dry state by the belt 68, with their points directed forward. They areseized by the rubber rolls 48 and 49, drawn therebetween, and fed overthe flap 67 to the slatted belt 65. The points or ends of the fibers arebrushed completely clean on the same belt by the brush 66, which latterrotates in the direction indicated by the arrow, as the brush not onlyattacks the surface of the fibers, but also passes partly through thefibers at the spaces between the .slats. The dust and the like will,therefore, be brushed out of the fibers between the slats, and will thenfall down to the bottom of the machine. When a certain portion of thefiber points is stretched out on the slatted belt, the gap '51 in ,thevertical flange 50 of the drum comes opposite the shaft of the roll 49,so that the latter will be no longer driven. The bar 59 then passesbetween the rolls 48 and 49 and the brush 66, raises the flap 67 andpulls back the fibers from under the brush 66, the rolls 48 and 49holding the fibers. The flap 67 then returns to 1ts original positionvhile the bar 59 lifts the fiber points completely brushed by the brush66, and forces them into the cylinder casmg, as the rolls 61 of the bars59 engage with the rings 62. The fibers are then carried around with thedrum, and therefore pass from the feed belt 68 around the roll 49, andare then deposited on the drum slats where they are brushed by thebrushes 47, in the same way as on the belt 65. The dust, woody portions,etc., are again driven in between the slats of the drum, as the brushesagain penetrate between the fibers and therefore clean them completely.Purified fibers directly suitable for spinning can therefore be removedon the left hand side of Fig. 8 from the machine. The next layer offibers supplied, is treated in exactly the same manner. Instead of usinga slatted drum, a drum with a corrugated surface might be used, in whichcase the action would remain approximately the same.

The number of brushes can be modified if required, and one or moreleather brushes may be arranged on the circumference of the drum fortreating the fibers. These leather brushes are made of a number ofleather plates secured to a shaft rotating at a fairly high speed andbeating the fibers clean.

hat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1.In a machine for the production of fibers from plants, thecombination ofa downwardly-inclined convever for feeding the stalk of the plant,flexible end first; a pair of superposed co-acting flattening rollerslocated adjacent the delivery end of said conveyer; and a spring-pressedknife located between said rollers and said conveyer end, said rollershaving a greater surface speed thansaid conveyer for raising the stalkabove the latter, as it leaves the same, into contact with the edge ofsaid knife, whereby the under surface of the stalk is stretched and theupper surface thereof scored longitudinally and the peel and core arecaused to split along the line of scoring by the tension of the saldstretched surface,

the split peel and core being flattened during their passage betweensaid rollers.

2. In a machine for the production of fibers from plants, thecombination of a downwardly-inclined conveyer for feeding thestalk ofthe plant, flexible end first; a pair of superposed co-acting flatteningrollers located adjacent the delivery end of said conveyer, aspring-pressed knife located between said rollers and said conveyer end,said rollers having a greater surface speed than said conveyer forraising the stalk above the latter, as it leaves the same, into contactwith the edge of said knife, whereby the under surface of the stalk isstretched and the upper surface thereof scored longitudinally and thepeel and core are caused to split along the line of scoring by thetension of the said stretched surface, the split peel and core beingflattened during their passage between said rollers; a table forreceiving the flattened peel and core from said rollers; and a pair ofcoacting rollers below the end of said table for seizing and pullingdownward the front end of the peel when said end drops over the tableend to separate the peel from the stiffer core.

3.- In a machine for the product-ion 0f fibers from plants, thecombination of a downwardly-inclined conveyer for feeding the stalk ofthe plant, flexible end first; a pair of superposed co-acting flatteningrollers located adjacent the delivery end of said conveyer, aspring-pressed knife located between said rollers and said conveyer end,said rollers havinga greater surface speed than said conveyer forraising the stalk above the latter, as it leaves the same, into contactwith the edge of'said knife, whereby the under surface of the stalk isstretched and theupper surface thereof scored longitudinally and thepeel and core are caused to split along the line of scoring by thetension of the said stretched surface, the split peel and core beingflattened .during their passage between said rollers; a table forreceiving the flattened peel and core from said r rollers; a pair ofcoacting rollers below the end of said table for seizing and pullingdownward the front end of'the peel when said end drops over the tableend to separate the peel from the stiffer core; a series of rollers forseizing the separated peel and expressing the saptherefrom; and meansfor washing said peel with a sap-dissolving liqv uid during theexpressing operation.

4. A device for cleaning vegetable fibers comprising in combination apair of rubber rolls in contact adapted to feed the fibers, an endlessbelt composed of slats arranged in spaced parallel relation adapted tore ceive the fibers, a small pivoted flap between said rolls and saidbelt, a rotating brush situated above the belt and adapted to brush andclean-the ends of the fibers, a drum con-' sisting of spaced parallelstrips to which the cleaned ends of the fibers are secured, and rotatingbrushes around S5116. drum adapted to clean the fibers throughout theirlength. V 1

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribingwitnesses.

GERBITYV MARIE ELIZE ros.

Witnesses:

THOMAS H. VERHAUE, W. DE HAON.

